§ Mr. Wallerasked the Minister of Transport if he will make a statement on the study of the road construction units carried out in consultation with Sir Derek Rayner.
§ Mr. FowlerThe report of the study is now complete, and copies have been placed in the Library. I have sent copies of the report to the local authority associations, the unions, and the other organisations principally concerned. Copies are also available from my Department.
The main issue in the report is the future of the sub-units in the road construction unit organisation. As I asked, the report has looked at the merits of alternative arrangements. Section 11 of the report sets out the framework of my policy on this. I am proposing the planned phasing out of the sub-units. I intend in particular to make increased use of consultants, who have a larger part to play and also of agency arrangements, where the case made for them by the county councils concerned clearly makes good sense.
I am announcing these broad principles now because I know the difficulties which continued uncertainty causes, both for staff and for the organisations involved. My Department is now carrying out a detailed study to draw up a programme of action. The plans for individual subunits will take account of local circumstances and the stages reached in work on particular road schemes. County councils 323W and other organisations concerned will be consulted. These consultations will start as soon as I have published my roads policy White Paper. The aim will be to complete the action study within three months from then.
The report covers other important matters besides the future of the subunits, and the action being taken on these is also recorded in section 11.
I should like to record my appreciation of the contribution made to the study by Sir Derek Rayner.